Fix wind buffeting on your motorcycle

Автокөліктер мен көлік құралдары

I tried multiple windshields on my Vulcan S and still could not get rid of the helmet vibrations from wind buffeting. The Heritage Softail is even worse, but in this video I figure out how to fix it using fork mounted wind deflectors.

Пікірлер: 70

  • @shep68
    @shep68 Жыл бұрын

    Fork fangs are amazing. Had them on every non fairing bike I’ve owned. Don’t care how they look…I ran them year round.

  • @jlloyd2004mcs
    @jlloyd2004mcs Жыл бұрын

    The best windshield/wind deflector I’ve ever experienced was my ‘83 K100rs. It had a tiny adjustable lip on the very top-edge that could be dialed in to make the flow go right over your head. Man, that was a great machine.

  • @chrisjensen101
    @chrisjensen101 Жыл бұрын

    I bought them about 4 years ago for a Road King. I love them. Before I started using them the wind would create suction behind the windshield and make my ears hurt. I installed them and no more sore ears. Now I try to wear earplugs mostly. I guess I could take the fangs off but I do think they look cool.

  • @Samuel10463
    @Samuel104633 ай бұрын

    You're correct, buffeting cannot be fixed by the windshield size or its position. Turbulence comes from down below the gas tank. Tilted windshield pushes air upward and at the same time scooping air into cockpit from down below. And because there is some "vacuum" behind the screen, air stream happily jumps into cockpit from below, being "invited" there by the negative pressure... It hits your torso then rises up to the chin bar of a helmet causing buffeting... The only way to stop buffeting is to install lower wind deflectors angled the way so they push air downward. That will block the turbulent stream entering cockpit from below and you'll ride inside of a capsule of still air. Fork deflectors is a half measure only, as they're being tilted in same direction as windshield, but they're better than nothing.

  • @boscodog4358
    @boscodog4358 Жыл бұрын

    I had them on my 17 Heritage. Works great in cool weather. Summer time you will experience a hotter moter approximately 20 degrees. I took mine off.

  • @kevinwrightHD
    @kevinwrightHD Жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the video, I have a street glide and was experiencing buffering, installed lowers for winter riding and buffering is now gone

  • @gunner9010
    @gunner9010 Жыл бұрын

    I think they look pretty cool. I've been ceramic coating the front parts of my bike followed with some Bug Slide. It seems to help with the bugs.

  • @ironcast
    @ironcast Жыл бұрын

    I agree with your assessment and have experimented in different ways with differing amounts of success

  • @jtdundee
    @jtdundee7 ай бұрын

    BINGO! Helmet shaking was terrible on my Shadow 1100 years back and being cheap, I made deflectors using clear Lexan, aluminum angle iron and hose clamps. The difference was night and day. The factory made chrome deflectors are only about $50 more - but are much less time consuming.

  • @thomasfrawley5798
    @thomasfrawley5798 Жыл бұрын

    I put fork deflectors on my2017 Heritage ,they work great,I keep them on all year round.

  • @winonabarter2540
    @winonabarter2540 Жыл бұрын

    So glad it worked good job.

  • @RadioManVeteran
    @RadioManVeteran Жыл бұрын

    To fix my issue, I installed a honda gold wing windshield vent. I had to cut a hole in my windshield, but by eliminating the negative pressure behind it, I was able to get rid of 90% of the buffeting up to 80 mph.

  • @thelatenightbar
    @thelatenightbar Жыл бұрын

    Gotta love the Heritage Classic, I've thought about purchasing the fork mounted wind deflectors myself. I don't really find the buffeting to be something that is bothering me all that much though. On my 2016 Heritage.

  • @peacewithyou503
    @peacewithyou5033 ай бұрын

    Thanx for the vid. I installed a pair and it does make a difference.

  • @audreycrowe1780
    @audreycrowe1780 Жыл бұрын

    I wear a half helmet when I ride and I took off the small visor on the front and that helped to solve my issue.

  • @armadilllo
    @armadilllo Жыл бұрын

    Fork deflectors work great on my road king, the only thing that stopped buffeting completely, BUT, they also block the wind from cooling your legs and there's some weird winds that when you're on the freeway in traffic kinda wobbles the steering, doesn't hurt anything, just kinda sketchy. In the summer where I live there's a lot of 100 degree days so I take them off, they're great in the winter for blocking the cold though..

  • @chrisjensen101

    @chrisjensen101

    Жыл бұрын

    I notice the “wobbling” when I’m coming up to a semi. Can feel the steering go left and right as the wind comes across the deflectors.

  • @johnd9031
    @johnd9031 Жыл бұрын

    The 16” F4 Custom windshield worked for me. No buffeting. Glad you solved your buffeting problems with fork deflectors. They look ok to me.

  • @slowridertv

    @slowridertv

    Жыл бұрын

    Fascinating how people have different tolerances and degrees of buffeting. I would like to try a recurve windshield, but it's too much money for a gamble.

  • @SouthOzShadowRider
    @SouthOzShadowRider Жыл бұрын

    New Subscriber Australia. Helpfull video, well done👍

  • @dickfulthorp2363
    @dickfulthorp2363 Жыл бұрын

    I have the deflectors on my Honda Shadow and they work well up to about 70mph, then the wind over the windshield hits the helmet and you get buffeting again. 75 is about all I can take with glasses on because you get helmet vibration, sun glasses vibration and eyeglasses vibration all going at once.

  • @vishnumohannair8791
    @vishnumohannair8791 Жыл бұрын

    How do you prevent wind buffeting in the lower half of your body. Essentially the parachute effect when you sit with your leg forward. How to prevent that feeling that you are about to take off.

  • @warlok9
    @warlok92 ай бұрын

    I took my first long trip on my 2022 GSX s1000 Gt +. 15 hours of riding in 2 days this past weekend. This was my first bike of the 5 I've owned with an actual windscreen. I always wear quality foam ear plugs for wind noise regardless so I thought I was safe. As the trip went on I could certainly hear and feel strong buffeting at 60mph and above right up inside the bottom of my helmet. I noticed if I shrugged my shoulders up the noise went away, but I couldn't ride like that long. I didn't think I was doing any damage to my ears at all because I had earplugs in. Boy was I wrong. Upon further research it seems you're better off not wearing earplugs if you're dealing with buffeting and turbulent air. The earplugs create a compressed pocket of air against your eardrum that is super sensitive to any turbulent vibrations in your head and neck. By time I got home my ears were ringing so bad I couldn't sleep. 3 days later I'm still ringing. It's worse in the mornings but gets better throughout the day. Hoping it subsides some over time. Anyways, lesson learned. I am seriously considering giving up riding or at least selling off this bike and go back to a naked bike or cruiser. I'd rather not spend time doing R&D trying to figure out how to stop the turbulence, switching screens, trying out gimmicky products and some downright goofy looking accessories. I treasure my hearing and I fear I've done some permanent damage unknowingly as I was wearing plugs.

  • @slowridertv

    @slowridertv

    2 ай бұрын

    Oh wow. Sorry to hear that! I imagine a different windshield would help, but it’s such a waste of money if you try a new windshield and it doesn’t work. I have the same bike as you and I installed a little cheapo clip on shield at the top. It helped a bit. You might consider that before giving up. You can adjust the clip on shield to get an angle that works best for you.

  • @petethepunisher3015
    @petethepunisher3015 Жыл бұрын

    Yes I had buffeting on a FreeWheeler. 16" Harley screen. Gave me migraine. So I put a harley wind splitter. On solved it. It has a adjustable vent on it .

  • @peterhart5882
    @peterhart5882 Жыл бұрын

    i have a 2016 bmw rt1200. no helmet buffeting at all. low wind noise compared to other bikes. best bike i have ever had.

  • @ekimandersom4478

    @ekimandersom4478

    Жыл бұрын

    That means nothing without knowing what other bikes you had!

  • @larrynorsworthy8582

    @larrynorsworthy8582

    Жыл бұрын

    Bmw actually studied this.

  • @tbthomp2
    @tbthomp211 ай бұрын

    This issue with the fangs is not their looks. It's that they significantly increase felt heat. The right leg and crotch can get toasty with them installed. On hot days, you'll be begging for that extra bit of air coming up around the tank to cool you off. Do they also impact engine temps? Hard to say, but they might.

  • @bertbirge3617
    @bertbirge361710 ай бұрын

    I think they look good on there!

  • @alanhayward6719
    @alanhayward67195 ай бұрын

    Fork deflectors? I've never heard of them but I'm certainly going to try them now.

  • @QuinnEdwards1
    @QuinnEdwards1 Жыл бұрын

    Trying to look cool, corresponds directly with comfort. Example: gorilla bars, naked bikes, no suspension, no windshield, crotch rockets, etc. Some of those bikes are torture after an hour. It just depends on the values held.

  • @GuaranteedEtern
    @GuaranteedEtern Жыл бұрын

    They don't look too bad - but I hear you it's one more thing on your bike. I installed some plexiglas lowers and I found it helped the buffeting a lot - but I think I need to get a more aerodynamic helmet to reduce it any further. Interesting about the glasses - do you think this is because the the arms allow more wind to get up under the helmet? I wear glasses and I can't ride without them... I may need to wear contacts if it's that big of an impact.

  • @slowridertv

    @slowridertv

    Жыл бұрын

    In my case, the helmet touches the side arms of the glasses. Since the helmet is bouncing around in the turbulence, the glasses move with it. If that's the same for you, contacts will eliminate that. Bonus, you don't have to deal with glasses fogging up. I have used four different helmets and they all vary in how the buffeting affects them. I would love to try a really high end Shoei or something known for its aerodynamics.

  • @anthonyresto8596
    @anthonyresto85965 ай бұрын

    nice bike i think they compliment the bikes front end but i have an electra glide so maybe the fairing & all help them to blend in better just my impergect opinion.

  • @royrich7336
    @royrich73365 ай бұрын

    With a windshield the air comes up blows my beard up into my face

  • @kenkaras4698
    @kenkaras469810 ай бұрын

    I believe you mentioned you have a Kawasaki Vulcan S, is that correct and if so what have you done to that bike to resolve this issue please? Thanks

  • @slowridertv

    @slowridertv

    10 ай бұрын

    I never solved it for the Vulcan S. I even tried an adjustable Madstad shield that made almost no difference.

  • @123edwardzpad
    @123edwardzpad Жыл бұрын

    I've seen some seriously fugly wind deflectors on a old Goldwing Lol Those don't look bad.

  • @douglasradowick508
    @douglasradowick508 Жыл бұрын

    Hey Slow, did you use the word "fugly" at the 4:30 minute mark? I'm not sure, that's what I thought I heard and just wanted to be sure. Doug🏍️👍🧸

  • @TheSgbarter

    @TheSgbarter

    Жыл бұрын

    Lol yes, that seemed the most appropriate word at the time.

  • @jerrylong381

    @jerrylong381

    Жыл бұрын

    @Stratoliner5 There's a bar near me named Fugly's. It used to be a church. I wouldn't call it a biker bar, although the owners are bikers and they get a fair amount of bikes. More of a small town tavern with Great food. Fugly's, East Lynn Missouri.

  • @ericslotsve3982
    @ericslotsve39823 ай бұрын

    Has anyone tried soft lowers on a heritage? I’m just wondering if they help reduce buffeting.

  • @gordonflash8976
    @gordonflash89763 ай бұрын

    They look just fine. Leave them on if they work.

  • @ducati135
    @ducati135 Жыл бұрын

    I think they look fine.

  • @encinoman903
    @encinoman903 Жыл бұрын

    I've actually been considering lasik surgery because of this. Wearing open-faced helmets over 60kmh with glasses on could give an epileptic a seizure.

  • @mikepurdy3952
    @mikepurdy3952 Жыл бұрын

    They don't look as bad as You think... I actually think They Look Good 👍

  • @larrylangley9128
    @larrylangley9128 Жыл бұрын

    Something to know these can be simply made with sheet aluminium for a 10th of the price, I built mine with scrap laying around my shop, and Im in camp they look OK to me.

  • @tombrewer1540
    @tombrewer15409 ай бұрын

    I installed those on a Heritage and truthfully did not feel any improvement. Just my experience.

  • @brettgodfrey9536
    @brettgodfrey95368 ай бұрын

    I think they look just fine on your motorcycle. When you shot the video you just weren't used to the look. They look like they're part of the bike. No worries.

  • @slowridertv

    @slowridertv

    8 ай бұрын

    Thanks Brett. You’re right. I did get more used to them.

  • @predragbilbija9993
    @predragbilbija999310 ай бұрын

    Do these help for kawasaki vulcan s?

  • @slowridertv

    @slowridertv

    10 ай бұрын

    I have not found any that fit the Vulcan s

  • @predragbilbija9993

    @predragbilbija9993

    10 ай бұрын

    @@slowridertv is buffeting so horrible with windshield it’s better not to have one at all? Because I just bought me a Vulcan and wanted to put the windshield on

  • @slowridertv

    @slowridertv

    10 ай бұрын

    @@predragbilbija9993 I tried two different windshields, the Kawasaki medium, and a Madstad. The buffeting was really bad for me so I never used the windshield.

  • @mikec3158
    @mikec31583 ай бұрын

    They look great.

  • @mikebenefield6690
    @mikebenefield66902 ай бұрын

    If you are over 6’ tall the only way to stop buffeting is to install a piece of 4’x6’ lexan.

  • @slowridertv

    @slowridertv

    2 ай бұрын

    🙃I'm about 3 inches away from having that problem

  • @Myseachaser175
    @Myseachaser175 Жыл бұрын

    Ugly? I think not. Pretty cool looking.

  • @taraschepurny2709
    @taraschepurny27094 ай бұрын

    Would have been more helpful if you included the install process

  • @MaxStax88
    @MaxStax882 ай бұрын

    Pro tip on how to fix buffeting!!!! And its a free tip also, not charging anyone for this tip. Ok, are you ready? This will change your life!!! Here it is, TAKE OFF THE WINDSHIELD!!!!!! You get clean wind hitting you straight on there is no buffeting at all.

  • @slowridertv

    @slowridertv

    2 ай бұрын

    Well that is true 😁

  • @stevesmith1493
    @stevesmith1493 Жыл бұрын

    Flare windshield

  • @slowridertv

    @slowridertv

    Жыл бұрын

    I have been interested in trying one of those.

  • @19merkez79
    @19merkez79 Жыл бұрын

    No windshield, No buffeting!

  • @frederickking1660
    @frederickking1660 Жыл бұрын

    Harleys need all the air they can get over the engine.

  • @nwatson4022
    @nwatson4022 Жыл бұрын

    Easy to cure: just abandon HD and buy a BMW 🤣

  • @monokheros5373
    @monokheros537311 ай бұрын

    Windshield dont wear a helmet wear a helmet REMOVE The windshield best easiest answer its YOUR FACE and i do not have to look at it the rest of YOUR LIFE

  • @lowrider96
    @lowrider96Ай бұрын

    HD ruined the look of their deflectors. They look like spoons now. Wyatt Gatling makes the original angled deflectors still sold by either J&P or D Kirk. Glad youre happy w the air part of yiur results.

  • @donhenderson5100
    @donhenderson510011 ай бұрын

    We have a 2005 Kawasaki Nomad that we bought new. It came with fork deflectors from the factory. Seem to work good.

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